Through Despair Comes Love
by Always Hopeful
Summary: ONE SHOT! COMPLETE! Spoilers... Minerva laments and is comforted by Harry.


**Disclaimer: I don't own it and never expect to. If I did, Albus would still be alive and married to McGonagall.**

**A/N: Well, needless to say, I was so sad when I found out Albus died. Not only was it sad that he would no longer be the headmaster of Hogwarts, but now I know that the shipping that we all know and love is… shall we say, harder to think about in the seventh book. Now all we can hope for is that J.K. Rowling will say that they were at least married at one point. I shall try to write this without crying, though I can't promise anything.**

**Through Despair Comes Love…**

As the others left, all of which were feeling a great sense of loss, one solitary figure remained in her seat, staring rather blankly at the white marble in front of her. Minerva McGonagall did not know what to do, nor did she really care at this point. Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of their time, her best friend, and husband of more than thirty years, was now dead. There was no way of bringing him back, and there was no way of speaking with him again. All that was left was a portrait of him, and it simply was not the same thing as speaking with the real man. There would be no more warmth, no more talks late at night, and no more comforting each other. There would simply be her, all by herself, with no one else to turn to.

She waited until everyone had left the plot of land before she stood and went to the white marble that now housed the shell of the man she had known and loved for so many decades. It seemed so unreal and yet so real at the same time. What was she to do? She walked up to the marble tomb and stared sadly at the grave.

"Albus…" she whispered, running her hand over the smooth surface. "I miss you already." Tears were now falling from her eyes. "Oh, God, Albus, how I miss you. I've lost not only an employer, but a friend, husband, and much more. I only wish I can find the strength to carry on. I love you so much, Albus. Oh…" Tears fell more and more now, and she just couldn't fight them anymore. She bent down now, twisting as she fell to the ground, so that she was now sitting with her back to his tomb, her arms around herself in a hugging position.

"I know how much you miss him, Professor," came a voice. Minerva looked up to see Harry step out from behind a tree.

"Harry," she gasped, standing up and wiping her tears away, though it was all in vain.

"It's okay, Professor," Harry whispered, coming up and placing a comforting hand upon her arm. "I miss him too." She smiled appreciatively at him.

"Thank you Harry, dear," she whispered. There was an awkward silence. Minerva sniffed and Harry looked at the tomb.

"So, you and Dumbledore, huh?" he asked, trying to sound casual, but not wholly succeeding. She heard the crack in his voice. "I always thought there was something between you two, though I never really had any proof until now." Minerva smiled sadly.

"I'm glad I could help, Harry," she said in a feeble attempt of humor. "But I would thank you not to tell anyone about it. Very few know about it, and I would like to keep it that way." Harry nodded solemnly.

"Very well, Professor," he said. Then, he looked at her inquiringly. "It's rather funny if you think about it."

"What is, Harry?" inquired Minerva, her brow quirked.

"We loose one Headmaster Dumbledore, and then we gain another," he said with a slight smile. Minerva smiled rather sadly and pulled him into a hug.

"Yes, I suppose it is rather all ironic," she breathed. Pulling back, she added, "Though I suppose it would be best to continue to call me Professor McGonagall. At least for the time being. It is truly a shame. I have waited a long time for people to call me Professor Dumbledore, for fear of Voldemort finding out, and now that Albus is dead, I still can't have it happen." Harry looked at her, all in a rather new light now. Now, he saw that his strict Transfigurations professor was more than that. She was a woman, who had emotions, needs, and heartbreak, just like everyone else.

"I'll miss him, Professor," he said. Then, he proceeded to tell her of his decision not to come back next year, causing even more tears to flow.

"Then you take care of yourself, Harry Potter," said Minerva. And if you need anything, anything at all…" She trailed off. Harry smiled.

"I'll call on you," he assured her. And with another hug, he walked off toward the castle. He had a train to catch.

**A/N2: I know, one of the shortest one shots I've ever written, but it was just too depressing. I will try and update my other stories as soon as possible, thought I think Retrieving What Was Lost might have a bit of a damper on it, now that Albus is dead and Severus is all evil once again and that stuff. LOL! I'll still write it, though. I hope none of you are fazed by it. Always Hopeful**


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